Hello, and welcome to Temarill's Guide to Key Quest! If you're new to Key Quest, or if you just need a refresher course, then this is the guide for you!

Last update: 3/27/2014

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the basics

In this section you will be introduced to the basic functions and interface of the Key Quest game. This is the fundamental knowledge that will set you off on your way to becoming an expert Key Quester!

the lobby

Let's explore where it all begins, the Lobby! When you start Key Quest, you will be faced with a screen similar to the image below.

From the home screen you can see that there are quite a few options. You can:

Create a Game

Join a Game

Choose by Topic

Choose by Keys

Choose Quick Game

View the Tutorial (Which we will not go over for obvious reasons.)

Let's move on.

Create a Game

When you select Create a Game you are taken to a screen that looks similar to the picture on the right.

From here you can choose the number of different colored keys you will have to collect (more keys typically means longer games), the number of players, and the game board.

You also have the option to invite someone into your game. This process is explained below.

Once you are done making your selections, click Done.

RE: Create a Game - Invite Players

There are a number of ways to invite someone into your game.

Type in their username.

Choose from the users in the room.

Select a neofriend.

The user you are trying to invite must be online and in the same Lobby room as you.

Once you are done making your selections, click OK.

Join a Game - The Rooms

Before you can join a game you have to decide which room to enter. The outcome of your game can depend on the room you join it in.

Joining a game by topic can help you find others of similar ability and interests.

Joining a game by keys to win determines how long the game will last. The fewer keys it takes to win the shorter the game will typically last.

The number of keys to win refers to the number of differing colored keys. You only need 1 of each color key to win.

RE: Join a Game - Choosing

Once you have entered a room you will be able to see who else is in the room along with the current available games in the room, as shown to the right.

You can choose a game based on the number of players as well as the ratings of the players.

The ratings are there to give you an idea on how reliable the player is (some people quit and you might want to avoid them).

To enter a game you can select it then click Join Game, or just double click on it.

Starting a Game

Completing either of the steps above, or opting to start a quick game, will bring you to a screen similar to this one here.

Feel free to chose your desired color token and wait for other players to come in and load.

RE: Starting a Game - Before You Begin

Before the game beings the order of turns and the starting position of players must be determined.

First, everyone in the loading room will be prompted to roll the die as shown to the left. The highest roll determines who goes first and so on.

After everyone has rolled, players will be asked, in the new order, to select a starting home as shown to the right.

Once everyone has chosen a home, prepare to leave the Lobby and let the games begin!

The Lobby Extras - Chat Box

There are a few functions of the Key Quest interface that often go without notice. Below, these functions, or Extras, are discussed.

The Chat box is a fun addition that allows you to, somewhat, communicate with the other people playing the game.

You can't type your own phrases but you can select from a menu of scripted ones.

You can also change the chatbox settings by clicking on the tiny gear button.

RE: The Lobby Extras - Ratings

In the Lobby you will notice different colored smiley faces next to different users. This face, or rating, displays the reliability of the user it is assigned to.

You should want to choose to play with an opponent who is more reliable in order to avoid the users who are more likely to quit the game.

The rating in no way hints towards the playing ability level of the other user.

You won't be able to see your own rating, so you will need to ask someone on the Key Quest Chat to help you out.

RE: The Lobby Extras - Choosing a Token

While in the Lobby you can select which token you want to use from the Quick List in the upper left-hand corner.

If it is your first time playing, you will likely only have 1 of 4 starter tokens randomly selected for you. New tokens are available through purchase at the NC mall or virtual codes. Tokens have also been handed out alongside certain events.

Can't hear yourself think because of the distracting Key Quest music? Turn the sound off buy clicking the speaker button in the top right-hand corner at any time.

the game

In Key Quest, the objective is simple: Succeed in minigames and use powerups to gain advantages while collecting each of the colored keys in the race to unlock the goal door.

Your Turn

Each time your turn begins you will be prompted with a choice: to use a powerup or to roll the dice.

A powerup can only be used at the beginning of your turn.

After you have used a powerup, or chosen not to, you will then be prompted to roll the die.

Every prompt has a response time limit, however, so be sure that you're alert and ready to make a choice.

In-Game Inventory

There is an in-game inventory shown for every player at the top of the game screen.

This displays the powerups on hand, the collected keys, the neopoints on hand, and the number of spaces they have left to move.

Game Over

When someone has reached and unlocked the goal door the game will end and everyone will receive a prize key, similar to the image on the left.

Save your prize key or take it to the Vault and redeem it for, you guessed it, prizes!

# Key Games vs. Prize Keys

Though we learned earlier that the number of keys in a game effects how long the game will last, this is not the only effected factor. Along with game time, different number key games also have a direct influence on your prize key won at the end of the game.

5-Key Game

4-Key Game

3-Key Game

2-Key Game

Place

Key

Place

Key

Place

Key

Place

Key

1st

Gold

1st

Silver

1st

Bronze

1st

Lead

2nd

Silver

2nd

Bronze

2nd

Lead

2nd

None

3rd

Bronze

3rd

Lead

3rd

None

3rd

None

4th

Lead

4th

None

4th

None

4th

None

Collecting all 5 keys but not making it to the door first will win you a Silver key.

Collecting all 4 keys but not making it to the door first will win you a Bronze key.

Collecting all 3 keys but not making it to the door first will win you a Lead key.

Unfortunately, if you do not come in first you will not win anything.

Simply put, short games may be just as fun as longer games, but 5-Key Games are the most rewarding.

For extra clarification, collecting multiples of the same color key will not improve your prize key or end prizes.

the vault

Finally, my personal favorite part of Key Quest, the Vault! This is where all of your hard work, dedication, and gaming pays off. When you enter the Vault you'll be presented with a screen similar to the picture below.

Any keys that you have won, but have yet to redeem, will be displayed below a set of vaults.

Different colored keys have different effects on your prizes. Gold keys give you 4 prizes, Silver keys give you 3 prizes, Bronze keys give you 2 prizes, and Lead keys give you... well, you get the idea.

You are only allowed to redeem 10 keys each day, so choose wisely which keys you use.

Once you unlock a vault you'll be awarded your prizes, which you will find in your inventory.

If you have more keys, click to Redeem Another.

the rules

As with every game, Key Quest has certain rules. Though there is not an official rules page for Key Quest, here are some official rules that you should keep in mind while playing:

1) Do not play Key Quest on your side accounts.

Editorial:

I don't know if anyone has asked this question yet, but could you please clarify something for me? Is playing Key Quest on a side account considered cheating? ~_miller114_Very much so. D: Please only play Key Quest on your main account.

2) Do not skip your turn or "time out" in an attempt to gain any sort of advantage. This includes skipping the negative effects of a Giant Lint Ball, Pant Devil, Pile of Dung, or any other card.

Editorial:

In Key Quest, is it considered cheating or strategy to not take your turn so that the powerup another player played on you will not work? I think it's cheating. So, Great Gods of Neopia, is it strategy or cheating? There are some out there who think it's strategy (or at least use that as an excuse). ~copper316This is considered cheating; it is not strategy. Please avoid not taking your turn to get an advantage. We are working on fixing this. If you wouldn't try to pull it over on someone you're sitting down playing a board game with, don't try it in Key Quest.

3) Do not predetermine any aspect of a game. Certain aspects include but are not limited to: who will win, how many neopoints you aim to collect, and agreeing to avoid minigames.

Editorial:

Dear TNT, I've been playing Key Quest for quite a while now, duly reporting the hiccups I am facing (btw, it's a SUPER game). However, not being very good at it, I decided to go to the Neoboards. I've seen lots of postings about alternate games there. I am most reluctant to enter one of those, and would like to be sure I am not doing anything illegal! Would entering one of them be allowed? Best regards. ~mimiouwTaking turns winning is not allowed. We consider that cheating. Please play the game as it is meant to be played.

4) Do not quit to avoid losing.

Editorial:

Hi TNT, I love to play Key Quest, but unfortunately I run into a lot of players who quit when you're about to win. I generally ignore it, but several people have mentioned Neomailing the person or sending them a Pile of Dung. Is this allowed? ~aquamarine8402Although quitters can be frustrating, sending them a Pile of Dung, posting their name on a board, or sending them a mean Neomail is considered harassment (and therefore a warnable offence). If you would like to report a user, please fill out the form . . . and we will be happy to look into it for you without the use of a Dung Catapult. ;)

For further clarification of the rules, see the screen shot below.

Locked Thread:

Breaking any of these rules can get you into serious trouble, so be sure to play fairly!

boards

In this section you will learn the different tiles and their effects as well as their positions on, and the layouts of, different game boards. If you don't know by now, tiles are the pieces that make up a game board and they each effect how the game is played in different ways.

tiles

The Start/Finish Tile marks the beginning house position of each player and the final door which, when landed on, will end the game.

The Minigame Tile activates a random minigame when landed on by you or an opponent.

The Key Tile awards you one of the possible 5 different colored keys when stepped on.

The Treasure Chest Tile will award you a random powerup and a key of your choice when landed on, but you must have at least 1 key in hand before you land on it, otherwise you will not receive anything.

The Portal Tile will give you the option to teleport to another set portal tile on the board.

The Location Tile gives you one of four possible location cards and 200np when landed on.

The Character Tile gives you a random character card that has a set effect when landed on.

The Alignment Tile (Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Light, Dark), when landed on, will award you based on your token's alignment which you can view through your collectors case.

Landing on your correct alignment will award you a random "super" powerup along with a random charm card.

powerups

In this section you will learn about the many different powerups, their effects, and tips on how to use them. Powerups are helpful one-use items that aid you throughout the game. You can obtain a powerup by landing on a powerup tile or by winning a minigame or duel (explained under the minigames section), but you can only carry 3 powerups at any given time.

Battle Dice allows you to duel an opponent of your choice in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors (explained under the minigames section). The winner of the duel is awarded their choice of powerup from a random three.

Available in all games.

Tip: Anyone can win, so use with caution.

Boots of Flight allows you to roll two dice instead of one.

Available in all games.

Tip:

Use when you have some distance to make up or to beat your opponent to the door.

Most advantageous when used in conjunction with the King Roo character effect.

Bottled Quicksand allows you to choose an opponent to skip their turn.

Available in 3+ player games.

Tip: Use this when your opponent is collecting their keys too fast.

Catapult allows you to send one player back to their home tile, including yourself.

Available in 3+ player games

Tips:

Use on your opponent when they are about to get a key that they have traveled far from home to reach.

Use on yourself when your home is near a key that you need, or if your home is closer to the door than you currently stand.

Distraction Potion allows you to trade one key with an opponent of your choice.

Available in all games.

Tip: It's best to use this when you have two of a certain color key.

Giant Lint Ball allows you to choose an opponent who will not collect keys or powerups for the entire turn.

Available in all games.

Tip:

Use this on an opponent near a key so that they pass it up and have to turn around.

If one of these was used on you, powerups that effect the changing of your keys will not work.

Skipping your turn to avoid the negative effect of this powerup is proven by TNT to be against the rules.Report anyone you see do this.

Giant Rock Mote allows you to roll over any and all opponents within 15 tiles of you in any direction to skip their turn.

Available in 3+ player games.

Tip:

Wait to use this until it can effect more than one player.

Hitting yourself with this powerup will cause you to lose your next turn. It is unknown if this is a glitch or not.

Key Grabber allows you to steal any one key from any one opponent.

Available in 3+ player games.

Loaded Gummy Die allows you to choose the number of your next roll.

Available in all games.

Tip: Use when you need to land on a special tile like the Treasure Chest, your Alignment, or a Card-giving tile.

Misdirected Compass allows you to change the direction of an opponent, or use it on yourself.

Available in all games.

Tips:

Use on an opponent who is headed towards a key or the door.

Random Event and Hex Cards can spin you around, use the compass to set you back on the right path.

Mortog allows you to skip one tile ahead of your opponent and continue in their same direction.

Available in all games.

Tip:

Use on an opponent who is near a far away place you need to be.

You will not collect anything from the tile in front of your opponent so don't use if your opponent is on a tile just before a key you need.

Pile of Dung allows you to block any two tiles on the board that neither you nor your opponents can pass for one turn.

Available in 3+ player games.

Tip: Use to block your opponent from turning at critical points, like towards a key or into the door, or even entering portals.

Skipping your turn to avoid the negative effect of this powerup is proven by TNT to be against the rules.Report anyone you see do this.

minigames

In this section you will learn about all of the available minigames and how to play them. Minigames are a fun and challenging aspect of Key Quest that, when won, can grant you a choice of key or powerup. Additional neopoints are also awarded in amounts that vary depending on how well you place.

Slow running computer and laggy minigames messing with your strategy? Or maybe you just want minigames to run better. Either way, here is a helpful tip that you can use for all minigames:

Make sure you're playing on a low-resolution link, from here you can change your quality when a minigame starts. Simply right click and select Quality - Low as shown in this image to the right.

Be sure to change it back at the end of every minigame because the low quality can mess up the text and prompts within the game.

Aim at berries with your mouse, and click to blast them away. Blast as many as you can before time runs out!

Tip: Some berries are worth more points than others, (Purple-1, Red-2, Black-3) but disappear faster.

Watch and listen as flowers light up and sing to form a pattern that grows in difficulty with each passing round. Once they've stopped, mimic the pattern by clicking on the flowers in the order they were shown. Click fast and try to complete as many rounds as you can before time runs out.

Tip: If you are a visual learner, this game is easiest if you use the flower colors to guide you. If you are an audio learner, this game is easiest if your sound is on and you listen to the notes that the flowers sing. Of course, you could always do both.

Using your mouse to guide the shears, clip the fruit from the tree one at a time and place them in your basket.

Tips:

The fruit can be hard to keep control of, so take your time and make sure that your fruit is going into the correct basket.

Start with the fruit that hangs above your basket that way you can just clip them and let them fall in.

If you have more points than you're opponent (this works best with 2 player games) end the game quick by clipping all of the fruit from the tree so that they fall on the ground, keeping your opponent from catching up.

Using your mouse, follow Esophagor wherever he goes and throw food into his mouth. When Esophagor has had too much to eat he'll start to feel sick, so click the down arrow on your character to duck and avoid his spew.

Tips:

Having trouble aiming? I find it works best when you aim just above Esophagor's mouth.

Esaphagor's spew comes in intervals. When he spits varies on how many players are in your game, (2-player: after 6 foods, 3-player: 9 foods, 4-player: 12 foods) so keep count and get ready to duck!

Use your mouse to water flowers until they grow. Once fully grown, use the icons at the right to trade in your watering pail for some shears. Clip the flowers at the stem for points and clip all four flowers before your opponent beats you to it!

Tip: Try watering flowers two at a time to get ahead. Here's how:

Race against your opponent(s) to match as many Novas as possible before the time runs out.

Tips:

If you're having a little trouble finding a match, use the Nova's glow to help you out.

Start off by matching Novas that are near each other to save some time.

Click on blue sparks within your reach to move to them and navigate the playing field. When close enough, click on purple orbs to collect them. Watch out for the three geysers at the bottom. If you're in the way when they go off they'll stun you.

Tips:

Blue sparks are worth 25 points each whereas purple orbs are worth 100 points each, so try to collect as many purple orbs as possible.

Each time a geyser goes off it brings a new purple orb. Wait and watch for a geyser to bring new orbs so you can get a head start on that direction.

There is currently a glitch where purple orbs collected by your opponent(s) will reappear, but you will not be able to grab them. Keep an eye on the purple orbs your opponent grabs to avoid falling for a glitched orb.

Use your mouse to guide your hose and wash the mud off of the Meowclops. Clean as much as you can before the time runs out.

Tip: Keep spraying until all of the dirt is completely gone or your opponent could get ahead.

Using your mouse, draw a loop around a petpetpet. A complete loop will cause the petpetpet to disappear, earning you points. Loop as many petpetpets as you can before time runs out.

Tips:

Be sure you are looping the correct petpetpet. You can see the target petpetpet specified at the top of the playing field.

Draw your loops fast, because once your opponent makes a complete loop, you will have to start your loop over again.

Loop around multiple petpetpets for bonus points, but keep in mind that smaller loops are faster to form.

Using your mouse, aim and cast your bobber near a fish. Once a fish has been hooked, wait for the yellow marks before you click repeatedly to reel it in. Collect as many fish as possible before time runs out!

Tips:

The bigger the fish the more points it's worth, (Bubblebee-25, Nuranna-50, Goldy-100).

Don't cast your bobber too close to a fish or you will scare it and it will not take the bait.

Use your mouse to control your umbrella. Follow a petpet with your umbrella to keep it out of the rain and collect points. Collect powerups to help you along the way.

Tips:

Look out for clouds! The black and pink clouds shoot lightning bolts that burn your umbrella and shrink it, respectively.

There are three different powerups. The orange lightning doubles your point intake. The green cloud keeps your umbrella safe from lightning bolts. The blue umbrella increases your umbrellas coverage.

Try to cover multiple petpets at once, that way you receive more points.

Move your mouse from side to side to make your spider move. Click to send your spider down to grab an item and bring it back for points. Collect as many items as you can before they're all gone!

There is currently a glitch where your spyder gets stuck if you grab an item that is too close to the top. The glitch lasts temporarily, but is enough to allow your opponent(s) to gain the lead. Avoid items near the top to prevent this from happening.

duels

A duel can start by the activation of a Battle Dice powerup, landing on the same spot of another player, or receiving the To Battle Charm Card. Duels are short games of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" that happen at different times throughout the game.

Each player involved is asked to select either rock, paper, or scissors until a winner is determined. The winner is awarded their choice of powerups from a random three.

cards

In this section you will learn all about the different types of cards that can activate during any game. There are five basic card groups that you can receive: Character cards, Charm cards, Hex cards, Location cards, and Random Event cards. Most cards activate by landing on a special tile but Random Event cards can activate during any time and in any given game.

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